Text messaging allows a cellular telephone or other wireless user device to transfer a text message to another cellular telephone or wireless device. It has become popular enough with cellular telephone users that laws have been passed to prohibit sending text messages while driving. Scientific research has been conducted to study the physical effects of text messaging on thumbs and the mental effects of text messaging on grammar and communication skills. For many radio communications systems, text messaging is supported through Short Message Services (SMS).
SMS supports text and sometimes other small data files. MMS (Multimedia Message Services) has been adopted to allow for larger data files, such as larger images and videos to be sent from one cellular telephone or other mobile device to another. The two systems operate using different messages that are a different part of the air interface.
With demands for faster transfers of more data and media-rich files, current wireless communications systems are moving to a fourth generation (4G). It appears that LTE (Long Term Evolution) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standard) 802.16m will be among those with the greatest use worldwide.